From challenge to solution: Additive Manufacturing for the Hydrogen Economy
Decarbonisation and sustainable energy sources are central topics of social and political discourse. We need clean alternatives to fossil fuels that drive climate change and pollute our environment. Hydrogen is one possible alternative.
However, hydrogen poses challenges for businesses and the energy industry: Existing infrastructure needs to be converted from fossil feedstocks and energy sources, requiring significant investment. In addition, the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of hydrogen production, especially green hydrogen, is currently limited. Hydrogen also has different combustion and corrosion properties. This changes the requirements for materials used in combustion and transport components, necessitating new materials and adapted designs.
In this context, the timely and sustainable implementation of hydrogen as an energy carrier for all stakeholders is a central field of research at the DAP Chair:
H2 Product Design
- Design Configurator:
Parametric product design for optimal hydrogen processing, e.g. complex electrodes for efficient water splitting
- Inverse design:
Product design based on simulations, such as flame and flow dynamics, for the development of highly efficient heat exchangers
H2 Material Design
- Material Design:
Development of high performance, durable and efficient materials specifically adapted to the hydrogen environment
- Mutlimaterial AM:
Layer-by-layer optimised material combinations for customised material properties, combining wear and corrosion resistance and functionality in a single process.
H2 Surface Functionalisation
- Extreme high-speed coating:
Environmentally adapted internal and external surfaces, such as pipelines, for optimal corrosion protection and significant reduction of hydrogen permeation.
Additive manufacturing enables the production of application-optimised components along the entire value chain:
From resource-efficient components to demand-driven materials and environmentally friendly component surfaces, the various manufacturing technologies offer numerous answers to the challenges of the hydrogen economy.
That is why we are involved in several promising projects exploring the potential of additive manufacturing in the hydrogen economy. We are also part of the Hydrogen Future Cluster, where hydrogen technologies are being researched and brought to market.
Our Hydrogen Projects
Dr. rer. nat. Sebastian Bold
RWTH Aachen Chair for
Digital Additive Production DAP
Campus-Boulevard 73
52074 Aachen
This picture shows a component that was developed in one of our projects together with Kueppers Solutions GmbH.